A Pastor in The Northwest

As we settle into the Spring season here in the NW, I find myself enjoying the sunrises rolling in each day. Every new day is like a gift and an opportunity to thrive and be Jesus's kingdom people. The brighter mornings remind us of God's creation and the passing of the day before that we now can leave behind. And, maybe most important, each new day allows us to love one another as a testimony to our great Savior Jesus Christ, who first loved us! I'll leave you with a thoughtful prayer from commonprayer.net I read recently: "God of heaven and earth, help us to live in this world faithfully guided by your love, which manifests itself in our love toward one another. Prepare us for that great gettin’ up morning when your new world is fully revealed. Amen." We love because he first loved us. -1 John 4:19 Photo by Dawid Zawiła on Unsplash

Easter Sunday's message focused on allowing the reality of Jesus' resurrection to be a catalyst or reset for many areas of our lives. Those areas might include our thinking, our heart, our dreams and even our regrets, etc. What feelings or impressions does this idea of resurrection bring about for you? Does it reframe what is possible for you? Can resurrection start a whole new way to live and be human for you now? Every baptism done by immersion in water retells this resurrection story - buried in Christ (under water) and then raised up to new life (coming up out of the water)! Could it be that your NEW life starts right now? 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the m...

After almost 2 weeks seeing a lot of Spain this past month, I can definitely say that when in western Spain in the spring, Rioja gets some rain (not sure if it's just in the plain...)! My wife and parents really enjoyed our holiday there, learning a great deal about the country, the language, and the culture from the history and beauty of the city of Barcelona to the picturesque island of Mallorca, and finally to the wine region of Rioja. Wow. Here are some takeaways: Food - people in Spain eat way differently than us. From tapas to ox tail to Iberico ham, we really enjoyed their Mediterranean cuisine! History - from the origins dating back to ancient Rome, the country is awash in ancient ruins dating back thousands of years. Often, newer buildings are simply grafted onto old ruins - wow. Language - Spain has regions that involve or showcase different dialects of Spanish, Catalan, and even some French and Latin influences. Bon dia in Barcelona and buenos dias in Rioja! Culture ...

In studying for last week's sermon, it dawned on me that the final part of the chapter reveals that the older brother in the famous prodigal son parable of Luke 15 was ALSO lost.  He was lost in the sense of not embracing the love, compassion, and forgiveness of the father, much like the religious leaders who were critical of Jesus being friendly with the lost and 'men and women of questionable character.'  To be found in Messiah Jesus, our hearts should be in sync with the Father's heart when it comes to other people - especially those who may seem hard to love. Lord, give us a heart transplant today so we can have Your heart towards others! Photo by Daniel Jensen on Unsplash

  In the ancient church tradition of Lent, the fourth Sunday is know as "Laetare" meaning to rejoice. It is the halfway point between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday and reminds followers of the paradox of rejoicing while suffering. The Eastern Orthodox call the season of Lent a 'bright sadness' where we experience joy and grief at the same time. I think I can understand this better the older I get. Something can be two things at the same time like beauty and danger or peace and adversity. Sometimes grief and joy are related. Loss and delight can be brothers and sisters. In a devotional I read today, I read this: As Francis Weller astutely notes, "to be alive and to love means we will also experience sorrow and loss. Acknowledging this reality enables us to find our way into the grace that lies hidden in sorrow. We are most alive at the threshold between loss and revelation." In the paradox of walking with Jesus, sometimes flourishing can appear to be loss...

The first mention of prayer shows up in Genesis 4:26 with the phrase, "at that time, people began to call upon the name of the Lord..." What prompted this? Well, having children seems to be the immediate context, but I wonder, what draws us to prayer? What compels us to call out to the Lord? Is it desperation? Is it frustration? Is it a sense of being overwhelmed? Is it a celebration or thankfulness? Is it a desire for closeness to the Lord? According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, A classic definition of Christian prayer is “an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies." What is motivating your prayer today? I believe that no matter what is driving or compelling your calling out to the Lord today, it is all fitting in your relationship with Him! Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. -I Peter 5:7 NLT Photo by Amb...